Lonely Hearts
by PWRDOWN
Summary: Emily and Paige are polar opposites, but, after being set up together by their mothers, can love blossom?
1. Prologue

Lonely Hearts

Prologue

Pam Fields hummed quietly as the light, golden substance of oolong tea filled her cup slowly; she placed the kettle back on to the stovetop, "Are you sure that you don't want another cup?" She asked politely to her close friend, Diane McCullers.

Diane smiled gently, "No, thank you, Pam," she declined while Pam made her way back to the small table. As Pam settled back into her seat, Diane folded her hands, sighing quietly, "How is Emily doing?" She asked, watching a smile form on her friend's face.

"I think she's doing great," Pam started, taking a small sip of her warm tea, "She finally got that promotion that she's been working towards,"

Raising her eyebrows, "Did she? Wow, that is wonderful news. That girl of yours is so hardworking, I'm glad that she got what she deserved," Diane said, "Is she going to celebrate?"

Pam shook her head, "I doubt it," She took yet another sip, "You know, Emily is so bright, and she is a very special girl, nevertheless in that big city, she can't find anyone to settle down with,"

"Getting anxious?" Diane joked warmheartedly, earning a chuckle from Pam.

"Oh, you know, grandmother biological clock ticking," The two laughed, when they returned to their comfortable silence, "I just want someone who can make Emily happy. I know she's been dating, but she hasn't found anyone worthwhile,"

Diane placed a comforting hand on top of Pam's, "Give it time," She said, "You know, I could say the very same for Paige," She started, sighing very quietly into the silence of the kitchen, "She's twenty-seven years old, and she absolutely refuses to settle down with anyone,"

"Our daughters," Pam said, "Are something else,"

"That is very true," Diane replied, "Here's a question… have you ever thought of setting your daughter up?"

"With a girlfriend?"

"Yeah,"

"No, not really," Pam hummed, "I have suggested people, though," She shrugged, "She didn't seem very interested in any of them,"

Deep in thought, Diane bit the inside of her cheek, "I have an idea," She said, hesitantly, "I know that this might not seem like the best…"

Pam shrugged, "Pitch the idea,"

"Maybe… just maybe we should set our girls up,"

"Okay…" She drawled, encasing the warm cup between her hands, "With whom?"

"With each other,"

"Paige and Emily?" Pam said, almost incredulously, "Together? I don't know if that will exactly work out,"

Diane expected this type of reaction, but she continued on, "I know it's not ideal," She started, carefully drafting out her explanation as she spoke, "But I think that they could be right for each other,"

Still not entrusting the idea, "They're almost polar opposites,"

"I know, I know," And it was so true, while Emily worked hard to be a successful public relations officer, even though it sacrificed her free time, Paige, on the other hand, successfully acquired two bachelor's degrees, yet only wanted to work as a librarian's assistant, simply because of the lack of commitment the job had. But, could it take two opposites to be completely compatible?

"I don't know, Di," Pam shook her head slightly, "I mean, they hardly acknowledged each other in high school," She sighed, "I just don't see it,"

Diane shifted in her seat, pushing back her graying brown hair, "Maybe there can be a balance between the two of them,"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your Emily is ambitious and hardworking, and Paige is…" Diane didn't want to promptly express her daughter as _lazy, _"Relaxed and… carefree,"

"You think that they'll rub off on each other?"

She nodded, "And create a balance,"

Pam hummed, taking a sip of her cooled tea, "I think that you have a point,"

"I think it'll work,"

The two women stared at each other across the table, not speaking a word to each other. This would be the perfect idea… if all played well. Pam spoke first, "I'll call Emily in the morning," She said, finishing off her tea, "Let's see how this will all turn out,"

"Well, the least that could happen is that they just don't work out together," Diane smiled softly, "But can't say that we didn't try,"

* * *

**Author's Note: **It's just a prologue, so it's short, but sets the tone.

If you spot any errors or anything, forgive me, I'm down with the sickness, literally. Leave a review if you'd like, or not.

I'll be updating every three days, but until then, I'll be crawling back under my rock.


	2. Chapter One

Precisely at eleven o'clock the next morning, Emily heard her phone buzzing as it vibrated on the mahogany of her desk. _It'll go to voicemail, _she thought as she typed furiously on her laptop, the light clicking of the keyboard resonating in her small office. Any other day, she would have answered her phone, but that was before she got her promotion, and, without notice, the promotion doubled her workload. Emily heard her phone vibrating again, interrupting her process. Groaning loudly, she picked up her phone and swiped her thumb across the screen, "What is it?" She answered curtly.

"Now, I raised you much better than that, Emily," Her mother scolded on the other line and Emily frowned, "You know that is not how you should answer a phone," She continued, "Where are your manners?"

"I'm sorry, mom, I'm just really swamped at work right now," Emily apologized, running a hand through her hair, "I have to have this report finished by noon, and I'm only halfway through,"

"Oh, I didn't know," Her mother said, "I can call back later, if you want,"

"No, no, what is it?" Emily asked, feeling guilty that she was brushing off her own mother.

"Well, I was wondering if you had anything planned tonight," Pam inquired

Emily scrunched her eyebrows, "Uh… no, why?"

"I have a friend in the area there, I was wondering if you could do me a favor…"

"Um… sure…"

"Oh wonderful," Pam started, "She's a very shy person and she could really use a friend, you know? I was hoping that you could show her around a little bit, maybe take her out for dinner too? I'd do it myself, but I'm getting old, and two-hour drives get me restless. Plus… she's closer to your age than mine, it might be good for her to be around that,"

Emily sighed. Honestly, she could probably think of ten other things to do rather than show someone around, let alone someone who knows her _mother_. However, on the contrary, her mother didn't ask much of her, and this could be the very least that she could do, "Alright," Emily said, "Okay, I'll do it,"

"Really?" Pam sounded shocked and Emily fought the urge to roll her eyes, "You're not too busy or anything?"

"If it's important to you, I'll do it, mom," Emily said sincerely, "Where should I meet her?"

"Oh, honey, this means so much to me. You can find her at the library, I know that she works there, so you can just look for her there,"

"And who exactly am I looking for there?"

"Just ask for…" There was silence as Emily waited for a name

"Mom?" She asked

"Oh, sorry, Emily, just ask for Mac,"

"Mac?"

"Yes…"

"And this is a female?"

"Yes, it is, just ask for Mac when you get there,"

"Uh… alright, well, I'll do that, but I really have to finish this report, okay, mom?" Emily said, cueing her mother of goodbye, "But I'll call you after I show Mac around, alright?"

"Okay, Emily. I love you,"

"I love you, too,"

When they disconnected, Emily found herself sitting back in her chair opposed to actually typing her report. _That was weird. _She thought to herself, replaying the conversation in her head. _Really weird._

* * *

Pam was relieved when she ended her call with Emily; lying to her daughter was perhaps the most difficult thing she could possibly do as a mother, "I can't believe that I lied to Emily," She said out loud

"But for a good cause," Diane said to her, understanding how her friend felt

"I know, I know," Pam sighed, "By the way, who calls Paige 'Mac'?"

"Uh, I'm not exactly sure, name-wise… however, I know some _have _called her that before, but, I mean, if you told Emily that she was going to meet Paige, I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't agreed,"

"That is very true," Pam looked at Diane, "How do you think everything will go?"

Diane shrugged, "I suspect two ways; one, both of our daughters call us outraged, or, two, we receive no word from either of them,"

"I don't think I like either outcome," Pam said as Diane wrapped her arm her friend's shoulders, "Was this really a good idea?"

* * *

Emily left her office nearly at six-thirty – the sun had already begun to settle, leaving her to navigate to the library almost in the dark. Her day had only brought added stress; she was weary from everything, and as her mind was screaming for her to go home, her body was driving her towards the only library in her area. She parked curbside to the library, and stepped out of her car.

Tiredly, she walked to the door of library, opening it to the encased sanctuary of books. At the hour, hardly anyone was in sight, most likely to have headed home. Emily's eyes scanned the library quickly, and, in one quickly sweep, she spotted a librarian.

"Hi," Emily said, quietly, "Um, can you help me?"

The librarian looked Emily up and down, taking in the black suit and her dark hair pinned back into a very strict bun, "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for someone who might work here…?"

"I'll need a name,"

"Her name is Mac"

The librarian narrowed her eyes, "Mac," She repeated slowly, "Do I know you?" Emily furrowed her eyebrows, but before she could say anything further, "And, to answer your question, _I _happen to be 'Mac', but no one in this city knows that nickname,"

"Oh, well, um, my mother sent me,"

"Your mom?"

"Uh… Pam…? Pam Fields…?"

"Pam Fields?"

"Yes… that's my mom, you know what, forget that I even said anything, I'm sorry to have bothered you,"

"Wait, don't go. If your mom is Pam, that means you must be Emily,"

"Uh… yes, that's me,"

"Which actually means that we went to high school together," She said with a faint smile, "Mac is short for McCullers,"

_McCullers. _As soon as Emily heard the last name, her eyes almost bulged, "_Paige_?"

"In the flesh,"

"Oh, my god," Emily couldn't believe it; the girl who used to have such a short bob and preppy attire was now wearing loose fitting clothes with holes, her hair had grown out.

Paige laughed quietly, "You don't have to act so shocked, you know,"

"I'm… just… wow, you look so different than how I last saw you,"

"I bet, but you still look good," Paige blushed as soon as she said those words, "I mean, you look like you've been treating yourself pretty well over the past… how long has it been… almost ten years?"

"Wow… I can't believe it…"

"Me either, so what did Pam need?"

Almost having forgotten what her mother requested… "Oh, she wanted me to…" _Oh my god, _she thought, "Take you… how long have you lived in Pittsburg?"

"Um, about four years…?"

_Mom, you sneaky woman! _Emily laughed in disbelief, finally putting two and two together, "You know what, my mom wanted me to take you out to dinner,"

"Is that so?" Paige said, taking a few idle books from some of the surfaces in the library, "Why would she want that?"

Emily opted to leave out the information she suspected, "No idea,"

"Huh, well, my shift isn't over for half an hour, but if you'd like to stick around, I'd like that… then we can catch up,"

"I can wait," Emily said, "By the way, I never took you for someone who'd want to be surrounded by books,"

Paige grinned, "There's a lot you don't know about me,"

* * *

**Author's Note: Wow! Well, I wasn't expecting this kind of recognition! Thanks a lot for the favorites and follows, means a lot.**

**Here's the next chapter. Please enjoy. Leave a review to let me know how I'm doing.**

**I'll see you in three days! **


	3. Quick Note - Not an Update

_Hello everyone, Kasey here, and this is my note;_

_I kind of wish that this would be an update because I know a lot of you guys like this story and have been looking forward to another update for some time now. I apologize for not being as frequent as I promised. It's one of those situations where writing is just not happening. I recently went through a really difficult time which resulted with me ending my four year relationship, and I was hit with a lot of depression... and writing was not a priority whatsoever._

_On the upside, I did manage to write some stuff before all of this chaos in my life, and I will try to get the next chapter finished soon. Unfortunately, I'm not sure when... I'll target next week though. Maybe I can get back on track, it really bothers me not being fit enough to update often._

_Well, I just wanted you guys to know what's up. I will try to update as soon as I can. And I'll delete this note in place of the new chapter._


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